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Hellenic Coast Guard

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File:Hellenic Coast Guard Arms-rls.jpg
Coat of Arms of the Hellenic Coast Guard

The Hellenic Coast Guard (Greek Λιμενικό Σώμα - Limeniko Soma - lit. "Harbor Corps") is the national coast guard of Greece. Like most other coast guards, it is a paramilitary organization that can support the Hellenic Navy in wartime, but resides under separate civilian control in times of peace. It was founded in 1919 by an Act of Parliament (N. 1753/1919) and the legal framework for its function was reformed in 1927.

The Hellenic Coast Guard Force is under the authority of the Hellenic Republic Ministry of Mercantile Marine and Maritime Policy headed by the Minister for Mercantile Marine and Island Policy and the Senior Coast Guard Officer who normally has the rank of Vice Admiral. The current Commander is Vice Admiral Theodoros Rentzeperis.

The roles of the Hellenic Coast Guard in peace time are:

  • Law enforcement in sea
  • Search and rescue
  • Pollution prevention in sea
  • Fishery patrolling
  • Prevention of the illegal immigration.

In order to perform these roles, the Coast Guard operate a number of Patrol Boats of various sizes (6m to 60m) and different types (RIB's, coastal patrol boats, offshore patrol boats, lifeboats and pollution control vessels). On land the Hellenic Coast Guard is equipped with cars and motorcycles.

The Hellenic Coast Guard operates the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) in Piraeus and the Emergency Radio Communications Station SXE at Aspropyrgos (38°02′12.5″N 23°35′7.5″E / 38.036806°N 23.585417°E / 38.036806; 23.585417). The Hellenic Coast Guard also operates the Vessel Traffic Service (V.T.M.I.S.) at busy sea lanes, currently around the ports of Piraeus, Elefsis, Lavrion and Rafina.

Between May 21, 1964 and 1980 the Hellenic Coast Guard had its own special flag, which was derived from the Greek Ensign with the addition of the crossed anchors badge on the center of the white cross.[1]

Personnel

Most officers in recent years are graduates from higher education establishments, including the Merchant Marine Academies. After recruitment new officers study for one year at the Hellenic Naval Academy. Petty officers are trained for nine months at Palaskas Naval Training Centre and lower rank enlisted men are trained at Scholi Limenofylakon at Piraeus.

The Officers of the Hellenic Coast Guard have the same ranks as the Officers of the Hellenic Navy and similar insignia, replacing the curl with two crossed anchors. The Petty Officers (Ratings) also use rank insignia similar to those of the Hellenic Navy, replacing the speciality symbol with the crossed anchors badge.

Role and Responsibilities

Main activities of the Hellenic Coast Guard are defined in the present Legislation and specified within its institutional framework of operation. These activities are the following:

  • Law enforcement at sea, ports and coastal areas
  • Prevention of illegal immigration
  • Surveillance of shipping, ports, sea space and borders
  • Protection of the human life and property at sea
  • Search and Rescue at Sea (jointly with the Hellenic Air Force, responsible for Search and Rescue by air)
  • Safety of navigation (with the exception of lighthouses, racons and buoys, which are constructed, purchased, installed and maintained by the Hellenic Navy Lighthouse Service)
  • Protection of the marine environment, response to marine pollution incidents
  • Provision of emergency maritime radio communication services [2]
  • Seafarers’ Training
  • Enforcement of seamen’s labour legislation
  • Contribution to development of Merchant Marine policy
  • Port operations
  • Support of maritime tourism
  • Merchant Ships and Shipping Companies inspection
  • Representation of Greece in International Organizations and the European Commission in matters related to these roles
  • Supervision of institutions and social welfare and insurance funds which fall under the Ministry of Merchant Marine

Fleet

Lambro PB-57 patrol boat ΛΣ-601 at Zea Marina Coast Guard Station, Piraeus.
Boston Whaler ΛΣ-798 patrol craft of the Hellenic Coast Guard, towed for a parade.
SAR-513, one of ten Arun 60 lifeboats operated by the Hellenic CG, at Zea Marina Coast Guard Station, Piraeus.

The following list of Hellenic CG vessels is incomplete, due to limited availability of published data. It is based mainly on the official HCG web site [3], the Hellenic Defence Review 2006-2007, [4] and on some original research.

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Model ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Length ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Displ. ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- | Dilos || Patrol || 29 || 100 || 6 || Design by Abeking & Rasmussen ΛΣ-010, ΛΣ-020, ΛΣ-030, ΛΣ-040 |- | Saar 4 || Open Sea Patrol || 58 || 450 || 3 || With 30 mm gun, no missiles fitted. ΛΣ-060, ΛΣ-070, ΛΣ-080 |- | Vosper Europatrol 250 Mk1 || Open Sea Patrol || 47.3 || 240 || 1 || ΛΣ-050, ex Greek Customs |- | CB-90HCG || Coastal Patrol || 15.9 || 20 || 3 || ΛΣ-134, ΛΣ-135, ΛΣ-136 |----- | Arun Halmatic || Lifeboats || 16 || 37 || 1 || SAR-510 |- | Lambro Halmatic 60 || Lifeboats || 18 || 37 || 10 || SAR-511 to SAR-520 |- | Lambro-57 || Coastal Patrol || 17.4 m || 25 || 35 || ΛΣ-137 series, ΛΣ-601 series |- | LCS-53 (Sunquestor-53) || Patrol || 16.5 || 25 || 11 || ΛΣ-114 series |- | Olympic L65/74 || Coastal Patrol || 23 || || 4 || ΛΣ-102 series |- | D-45 || Coastal Patrol || 13.9 || 25 || 4 || |- | D-45M || Coastal Patrol || 13.9 || 25 || 5 || |- | Olympic L-44 || Patrol || 14 || 25 || 3 || ΛΣ-153 series |- | MIL-38 || || 11.85 || 7 || 2 || |- | MIL-40 || || 13 || 7 || 2 || ΛΣ-132, ΛΣ-133 |- | Magna Onda || || 11.7 || 5.4 || 2 || |- | Super Onda || || 8.6 || 2.8 || 2 || |- | Boston Whaler || Coastal patrol, Diver support || 9 || || 3 || ΛΣ-798, ... Donated by the USCG in 2004 [1] |- | LS-413 (LMPA) || Pollution control || 29 || 240 || 3 || by Astilleros Gondan, Spain [5] |- | Pollcat || Pollution control || 18.5 || 85 || 3 || |}

Aircraft inventory

Reims Cessna F-406 aircraft of the Hellenic Coast Guard
Socata TB-20 Trinidad single engine aircraft AC-3 of the Hellenic CG at Dekelia Air Base.

The Hellenic Coast Guard operates a small fleet of fixed wing aircraft based at Tatoi (Dekelia) Air Base, (LGTT, 38°06′35.1″N 23°46′55.5″E / 38.109750°N 23.782083°E / 38.109750; 23.782083). Its four AS.332 Super Puma Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters are operated by the Hellenic Air Force 384 Squadron, based at Elefsis Air Base (LGEL), with mixed Air Force and Coast Guard crews. The six AS.365 maritime law enforcement helicopters are not yet operational due to lack of trained aircrew.

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service[6] ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- | Cessna 172 Skyhawk ||  United States || utility || 172RG || 2 || |----- | Cessna 406 Caravan II ||  France || maritime patrol || F406 || 3 || built by Reims |----- | Eurocopter Super Puma ||  France || SAR helicopter || AS 332C || 4 || Operated by the Hellenic Air Force |----- | Aérospatiale Dauphin ||  France || patrol helicopter || AS 365N3 || 6 || Crew training missions only from Kotroni Naval Air Station (LGKN) in cooperation with Hellenic Navy |----- | Socata TB ||  France || utility || TB 20 || 2 || |}

HCG facilities

  1. New headquarters and VTMIS operations centre: 37°56′33″N 23°37′35″E / 37.94250°N 23.62639°E / 37.94250; 23.62639
  2. Old headquarters and SAR coordination centre: 37°56′23.5″N 23°38′55″E / 37.939861°N 23.64861°E / 37.939861; 23.64861
  3. Mooring for Open Sea Patrol Vessels (Keratsini): 37°57′25.7″N 23°36′39.7″E / 37.957139°N 23.611028°E / 37.957139; 23.611028
  4. Coast Guard apron at Tatoi Air Base: 38°06′35.1″N 23°46′55.5″E / 38.109750°N 23.782083°E / 38.109750; 23.782083
  5. Aspropyrgos Maritime Communications Radio Station SXE: 38°02′12.5″N 23°35′7.5″E / 38.036806°N 23.585417°E / 38.036806; 23.585417
  6. Piraeus Central Port Authority: 37°56′23″N 23°38′24″E / 37.93972°N 23.64000°E / 37.93972; 23.64000
  7. Enlisted men training facility (Σχολή Λιμενοφυλάκων): 37°56′10.3″N 23°37′40.4″E / 37.936194°N 23.627889°E / 37.936194; 23.627889
  8. Piraeus VTMIS AIS receiver 002393200 37°56.369′N 023°38.381′E / 37.939483°N 23.639683°E / 37.939483; 23.639683
  9. Psyttaleia Island VTMIS AIS receiver 002391100 37°56.620′N 23°35.664′E / 37.943667°N 23.594400°E / 37.943667; 23.594400
  10. Patras VTS 38°14′46″N 21°43′44″E / 38.24617°N 21.72886°E / 38.24617; 21.72886
  11. Thessaloniki VTS 40°38′17″N 22°55′31″E / 40.63802°N 22.92522°E / 40.63802; 22.92522
  12. Corfu Island VTS 39°37′37″N 19°54′20″E / 39.62708°N 19.90554°E / 39.62708; 19.90554
  13. Igoumenitsa VTS 39°29′17″N 20°15′32″E / 39.48799°N 20.25899°E / 39.48799; 20.25899
  14. Lavrion VTS 37°42′50″N 24°03′45″E / 37.71394°N 24.06252°E / 37.71394; 24.06252
  15. Rafina Port 38°01.347′N 24°0.522′E / 38.022450°N 24.008700°E / 38.022450; 24.008700

References

  1. ^ Photo of old Hellenic CG flag.
  2. ^ "Greece, Coast Radio Stations, Hellenic Coast Guard MRCC and MRSC" (PDF). The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office. 2002. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
  3. ^ http://www.yen.gr/wide/yen.chtm?prnbr=24177
  4. ^ Hellenic Defence Review 2006-2007 (in Greek). Athens, Greece: Line Defence Ltd. 2006. p. 62.
  5. ^ "Antipollution vessel ALPHA" (PDF). Astilleros Gondan shipbuilders. 1994.
  6. ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15 2007.
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